CHENNAI: Seeking to tighten transparency in urban governance and curb discretionary practices in civic administration, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday directed all urban local bodies to strictly follow tender transparency laws, discontinue restrictive bidding conditions and implement fully online, time-bound building plan approval systems across the State.
The fresh instructions, issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department to the Greater Chennai Corporation, Directorate of Municipal Administration and Directorate of Town Panchayats, are being viewed as a major administrative push to standardise civic procurement procedures and reduce human interface in approval mechanisms.
Stressing the need for transparency, fairness and economy in public procurement, the government directed all tender-inviting authorities to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998, and the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Rules, 2000 while floating civic contracts.
In a significant direction aimed at ensuring a level playing field in bidding, the government instructed civic bodies not to insist on documents such as “Site Certificate”, “Machinery Availability Certificate” or similar endorsements issued by engineers of the tender-inviting authority as qualifying criteria for contractors. The order indicated that such practices could undermine fair competition in the tendering process.
The communication from the MAWS secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi further mandated that all tender-related clarifications and interactions with bidders should be conducted only through online platforms in order to maintain transparency and ensure a traceable process.
In a parallel reform initiative, the government also directed civic agencies to frame time-bound guidelines for granting building plan approvals. The order specified that approval fees should be paid online and applicants, architects and engineers should not be compelled to appear in person for routine queries or procedural clearances. Every stage of interaction, it said, must remain digital and transparent.
The government instructed the Greater Chennai Corporation, municipalities and town panchayats to “scrupulously follow” the directions for all tenders and approval-related processes, signalling a broader attempt to improve accountability, reduce procedural delays and strengthen transparency in urban administration.